Daily Yellowstone journal., 1887-05-01
THE BeeFsTEAk TEST.
Perfecting Ones Self In Common Tasks.
The study Of Children.

Perfecttng Ones Sell In Soh"io" A"S~''
The study Of Children
II is one to ten that a girl who can
properly broil a beefsteak or make a good
loaf Of bread can do anything else within
the range of her opportunities. we are
quite as much the creatures of our yoll-
tons as our circumstances. Those who
do not master the useful accomplishments
because they are not compelled TO do 70
are not likely to be deeply versed in polite
accomplishments. They are either slug
gish OF mind or slow and slothful bodily,
or both slow and sluggish in mind and
body. As wives they will follow the
bent of previous inclination. They will
make poor housekeepers. As a rule the
slow boy will turn out a shiftless, plod-
ding, u%nambitious man, satisfied If he
may eat. drink. and sleep without too
much labor if he must earn his living,
and without care Of mind if his living
have been stored up for him by thrifty
progcnitors. Ii a husband, he will he
quite willing that the wife Of his bosom
shall wait upon him 10 the full measure
of her inclination. As members of
society. such men and women add moth
ing to the common stock of enjoyment
contributed by Others. They are cuckoos,
minus the cuckoo enterprise in providing
alien nurture for the broods they may
help TO bring into the world.
The philosophy of the beefsteak test
rests on the theory that those who per-
feet themselves in a common task, rather
esteemed as a ~drudgery than as an evil
dence of merit, will also perfect them
selves in other and more snowy pro-
fciencies. They have alert minds, look
ing beyond the FRYING pan or the tea
kettle 10 achieve results. and willing and
dexterous hands that do mot find labor dis
tasteful when il brings knowledge along
with it. The patience Of the girl who
, evolves a loaf of bread from its constit-
ent substances fiji for a queen Ia eat may
he expected, given the requisite materials,
to construct a robe fit for a queen To
wear, or, ''of imagination all compact, y
to write a poem il would delight a queen
to read. 4 good loaf If bread is in itself
a homely poem. and the girl who makes
il a home delight.
All this preamble leads up to the OBJ
~servatiOn that all the children Of what
ever condition in life should he studied
for their appetites and inclinations, The
bright ones-the inquisitive. restless,
active youngsters-are apt to push them
selves in well doing. The duh and obtuse
children need more careful handling;
first, TO nurse their physical strength,
and then to brighten and awaken their
minds. Ii can be done. Sometimes, as
every n must have observed. the dull
youngster grows into a bright woman. or
a quick witted. 20 ahead nan But not
one half the girls are born with the in
nate capacity or the grown up desire to
broil a leefstcak properly. Nor do the
boys come into the world any better pre-
pared 10 wrestle with the problem of life.
Out Of this great army-who marry and
are given in marriage-comes the ~listless.
ness, the ennui. the inertia that arrest the
progress and eclipse the gayety Of nations.
The worst possible thing that can hap.
pen a child is that restraint which ne.
suits from entire idleness and absence oi
direction. Active children sometime.
play wrong. They acquire habits thai
warp them and turn them awry. Weak
lings and children who are born tired. y
ON the contrary, %aggravate their natal
tendencies by becoming constitutionally
weak and tired, when proper care might
have them strong and pushing. If il IL
true that those who learn to do what
they may are also those who may b,
trusted 10 learn to do what they can, an
understanding Of the fact should lie Of
great advantage in life, not only in
choosing life partners, but partners in
business and associates and employees in
positions Of trust or works of dexterity,
The development Of the pushing pro
pensity where it exists. of pushing il
where it is not, and Of fostering aptitude,
and inclinations which are 81 feeble as t.
need the magnifying power Of the great
Lick telescope to discover them are duties
that rest largely upon the mothers Of
the land. Few Of them have eveI
thought of their obligations to their of,
spring in this light; many have never
considered them at all. But it is clear
that even when a child's body and
morals are well looked after the work Of
fitting him for life is but just begun. He
must be taught, if le does not intuitively
know, how to broil his beefsteak. -Phila.
dplplia Record.